Volume Eight covers issues 43-48 of Saga, which is usually the time when a series shifts into a higher gear, or runs out of steam. Given that this is Saga, though, you should have a good idea which route the comic takes.

Saga has always been about politics, but it’s never been preachy about it. It’s presented Alana and Marko as a young couple in love more than it’s presented them as two different races on opposing sides of a war. The message the authors want to present is clear, but it’s never been drilled into the reader’s head.

Volume Eight opens with Alana going to a backwater planet to have an abortion of the child who died at the end of the last volume. The authors show us both sides of the issue, through the practitioners who provide the service, the unauthorized practitioners who don’t ask questions, and the residents of the planet who oppose the practice altogether. It’s clear the authors are presenting a certain viewpoint, but they do it by presenting a scenario and taking it through to its conclusion instead of beating you about the head with it.

The story continues to be fantastic, with well-realized characters, challenging dilemmas, and thoughtful themes. It’s exactly what the title tells you it will be — a saga — told through the lens of a single family. I like how it’s narrated from the perspective of Hazel, from some point in the future, as it gives it a touch of innocence and wisdom at the same time. I’m interested in seeing how Vaughan and Staples will keep this arc going, and how they plan to conclude it. If they can come to nearly fifty issues and still keep the story this fresh, then I doubt I’ll be disappointed.

"'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'"